[WWP] P19 Keel RaisingTips: [Was P19 parts and suggestions needed]

From: Judith Franklin Blumhorst, DC (DrJudyB@pacbell.net)
Date: Tue May 16 2000 - 20:27:00 PDT


Hi Tim,

 Probably you can just replace the cable, but if you could tell us more info
we could give more specific advice. Was anything other than the cable
damaged? Any blocks dmamaged? Any attachment points weakened where the
eyestrap attaches to hull?

What year and hull number is your boat? Where is the winch located? Not
all P19' have the same keel raising system; it changed over the years. Some
of them have a cable running to the center of the transom, others have a
cable to starboard of the companionway, and probably a few more variations
on that. Some owners have modified the system too.

Winching a heavy keel is serious business and requires careful attention to
what is going on and careful operation of the mechanism involved. Don't be
chatting and looknig around while you raise or lower the keel. Nearly half
of all new P19 owners mess this up at least once. Rarely twice. They learn
to be more careful after that.

My hubby didn't pay attention to what he was doing once during the first
year we had the boat, and I had to spend about an hour to fix it just to get
the keel up. I keep a spare 4:1 tackle on board for emergencies just like
that. I had to replace a few of my 15 year old blocks after that.

Rule #1 of Potter keel winches for both LOWERING and RAISING: Make sure you
"snug" up the cable slowly before you start winching up the load, to give
the cable a chance to line up inside the blocks and drum where it belongs
before you put a heavy load on it. Failure to do so can cause the cable to
get jammed between the cheeks and blocks or get caught on something and pull
it right out from where it's anchored.

Rule #2. Always* lightly* snug up the cable for trailering, and while under
sail. Make it loose enough so it doesnt make a musical note when you twang
it, but not more loose than that. Don't leave it loose while you sail or
trailer.

Rule #3 is for RAISING the keel. Make sure you are turning the handle in the
right direction when you lower the keel. If you are loosening the cable
(cranking the wrong direction), it can cause the cable to form a loop and
then overwrap itself. It will catch at first, raising the keel, and then
slip, dropping the keel violently. This can pull out a block from it's
attachment or jam the cable. If you're turning for more than a second and
the keel isn't moving, you're probably going the wrong way. After my
husband cranked the wrong direction that time, I labelled the winch with
arrows that say "up" and "down"

Judy B
1985 WWP #266 Redwing
Danville,/SF Bay, CA
 -----Original Message-----
From: tmdavis@oakland.edu [mailto:tmdavis@oakland.edu]
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 5:23 AM
To: WWPotter@egroups.com
Subject: [WWP] P19 parts and suggestions needed...

Ahoy fellow Potters!

My wife and I are recent P19 owners, and though it has been a real
thrill thus far, we have encountered a few problems. Any
suggestions,
recommendations, etc., would be very helpful.

We are in need of battens. We bought our boat used, and the previous
owner filed down the battens to the point where they were too small.
They flew out of the main on a windy day... oooppppssssss. Where can
we get replacements?

Our keel cable became jammed in the gearing of the keel crank. WHAT
A PAIN!!! Does anyone know of a good replacement crank? Or, can I
just replace the cable?

Finally, where is a good place to buy marine charts, etc., via email
or internet?

Happy sailing!

Tim

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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